Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-11
CONDITION OF THE ARMY.
How Inspector Geoeyal baird Would
increase ies Efficiency.


nAAf NkhOkU IN Big OAEAHL3kSI-soO AAN -
ORDERS rssuED-fARaEr NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
POST SCHOOLS, ETC.
Inspector General Baird, in his annual report to
the Secretary OF War; states that the regular force
OF his department supplemented by the detail BY
the Secretary of War Of on1cers OF the line as act
Ing inspectors IL inadequate for the complete per-
Torrance Of the duties required, and recommends
that the strength Of the department Of inspection
be increased. II this end cannot be attained he
asks that the number Of or1cers which the secre-
tary Is permitted to detail be increased. He also
recommends that Officers travelling on inspection
duty be allowed 10 cents for each mile actually
Travelled. He asks the assistance OF the secretary
OF War In procuring legislation which will fx the
allowance Of clerical assistance In his ONCE In
other stan departments.
PRAISE FOR THE ARMY.
He reports the Army rs whole in a healthy
and gratifying condition. There are breaches OF
discipline, OF course he says but the general ODE
dience TO law and q desire TO improve animate
are certainly very respectable class OF persons:
impossible to attain great perfection IN all OF
the drills with only ske.eton commands, depleted
by various details for labor, but the perfection
which has been reached in the use OF the rile
proves that any desired excellence in other mill
tar S,t exercises could BE- attained by the same
issued, the report says, not always emanating
from the same source, and not always scrulinized
on others In existence.
SUGGESTIONS A TO TARGET PRACTICE, ETC
In the opinion OF Gen. Baird too much time IL
allotted. to target practice TO permit proper In
structon in all other important matters and he re-
commends that ofacers be prohibited nom entering
70 the soldier and is Destructive OF discipline, In
breaking down the lines OF separation between
commissioned Officers and enlisted men.
he considers the clothing OF SOltierS satisfactory
and OF good quality, but recommends that all artl.
Giles OF uress ISSUED 10 soldier should be fitted To
his person Without suojecting him toextra charge,
suggesting the payment Of the company tailor OF
90 cents day as 8 means OF attaining the end.
Tuere has been no falling OF In the good quality
81 1ne ~ ra ts OF the general E 3oe
alive unless the secretary OF War should exclude
1t from the ration, to be issued only when called
mand for the issue Of potatoes and onions becomes
more frequent.
The matter OF desertions has caused less re-
but in some depsrtments it has Increased, While
In others IL has decreased. To regard this crime
leniently, Gen. Baird thinks, is to encourage 1t,
the military prison at Lesvenwortn IL not pun
ishment adequate to the offense nor calculated 10
MILITARY DucAnoN.
The reports regarding post schools indicate that
they are Of but little benefit TO the enlisted men,
because but few are wiling to attend them. He
is opposed to the compulsory attendance Of
illiterate soldiers, but suggests the require
ment OF certain amount OF education In
every man when enlisted. The inspection
or the work OF officers detailed to duty
at military colleges suggests the necessity
OF code OF regulations the Same for all institu-
lions, defining, In the in.erest OF the United States
the duties OF Otficers detailed, and informing the
authorities or the institutions what il TO De ex-
pected OF them In return for the gratuitous loan
OF military expert as instructor and OF arms and
equipments. IL has been recommended, the re-
port says, that the detail for the service should be
for Axed period, say OF four years.
and that such Students as show uuu.
sual aptitude In military studies should
be given a diploma, to SIGNIFY to the
governors OF States their fitness Tor military en-
ployment, should State troops be called for. The
inspector-general, while approving the deLaii OF
army ofncers to civil Institutions holds that every
officer so detailed has been commissioned TO I'LL
an Office supposed TO be necessary to the military
establishment, and his prolonged absence indi-
Gates that the 0n1G Is not necessary one. He
thinks that every O1cer should be In the place to
which his commission assigns him, and when II
becomes distasterul TO him he ought TO retire.